Canada



Nov. 29, 1927. 1,650,786

L. w. BURNETT ELECTR IC GOVERNOR Filed March 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 L. W Bar/m! Nov. 29, 1927. r 1,650,786

L. w. BURNETT ELECTRIC GOVERNOR Filed March 24. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I I L I 10 11 16 I 1 1 4 if Patented Nov. 29, 1927.

UNITED STATES LEWIS W. BURNETT, OF VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUIMBIA CANADA.

ELECTRIC GOVERNOR.

Application filed March 24, 1927. Serial N0. 178,077 V This invention relates to electric governors for regulating and controlling within narrow limits the range ofspeed variation permissiblc or desired in engines or other mechanical combinations. 7 n I Its main object is;to effect this control by a simple and inexpensivedevice which will be in addition much more sensitive to variations of speed than centrifugal or other speed regulating devices now usually adopted for this purpose. i i 1 The main factors whichl employ tQ Sccure these result-s consist elem'en'tallypt a pair of revolving members, say of jthe'nature of drums or pulleys mounted to revolve in the same direction on two separate shaftsin axial alignment, the said drums being in close uxtaposition so that there may bean overhanging arm from one drum to the other with a resilient friction pad secured to the arm but bearing upon the secondqdru'm,

member l irevolves at, constant speed and The arm is pivotal on one drum and carries an electric contact which engages a similar contact thus closing an electric .circuit when the motion of one drum lags behind that of the other drum, thelpivotal arm being moved on its pivot .by the surface friction of the pad upon the drum whenever a speed variation takes-place. .Byfarranging the adjustments of the .friction rpad and electric contacts a high degree oi refinement in control of speed variation may be effected.

The details and action of thevdevice are clearly shown in the drawings herewith forming part of this application and in which 7 Figure 1 is an elevational section of one general form of my device.

Figure 2 being an end view of same.

Figure 3 shows details of the contacts.

Figure 4 is an illustration of an application of the device to the governing of an engine of the internal combustion type.

Figure 5 exhibits another application of the device to a locomotive.

Taking the drawings in detailas the best means of exemplifying the-invention and noting that similar'numerals in any of the views indicate'identical' parts or. parts ha"- ing identical functions, 11- indicates a spindle rigid with the supports 12 carried by the base plate 13. Two members 14 and 15 revolving side by side each driven in the same direction and normally at the same speed b the attached pulleys 16 and 17 form the principal parts of the mechanism.

The member 15 carries" on its periphery an insulating block 18 hearing an electrical contact 19. This contactfis'in electrical con.- nection with a slip ring 20 which revolves with the member'and is in electrical contact with the, brush 21*which is: similarly insula'ted at its baseat'22 "The member 15 also carries a pivotal arm 23 which overhangs the adjacent lrevolving 14, 'The arm carr es a' resilient and: .adjiist ab'le fi'iction pad 24 which may befallowedto bear upon the revolvingl surface t 14 531 adjustment of 1 I the thumb screw; 25 snificiently '.to overcome the flIlCtlOIl' Of thearmf on it's pivot 26 so that in the event"of any variation in the peripheral velocity of the two members 14 i and 15 the fr1ctionoffthe pad24 will be sufiicient to eause the arm 23 to move on the pivot 26'and' thus makejo r break the electrical contactl tll,

Thus should the device be set so that the the member 15 commences "to race even by a fsmall fractionallinci'easei'the' friction pad 24 will retard thearInQt; causing an electrical circuit tobe completed when the contact'19 iseng aged;thu s'operating"a solenoid I or other means for motivating the necessary rectifying mechanism to lcontr ol the speed of ithe ra cing member. A 7 stop for the pivotal arm -isshowii at 2f7j an'd fthefgroundedterminal at 2 8. 1 o i I I i. A concrete application of the device as detailed above is shown in Figure i In this case an lelectric motor 29 designed to run at constant speed controls the .speed of an engine 30 subjected say to wide variations of load but in which the speed variation is important. The governing apparatus is identical with that shown in Figures 1. 2 and 3. but electrical connect ons are added in which the brush terminal 31 connects with the main switch 32, theenergizing battery 33 (or other source of electrical energy) and to a solenoid 34. The solenoid operates the throttle valve 35. against the e action-0f the helical spring. 36 thus controlling the fuel admission/(o the engine instantaneously'as the speed varies and within any value of desired range.

A further illustration of the application I of the invention is shown in Figure 5 where the axle 37 of theTleadin g wheels of a locomotive pr'ovides the'driving power to 'the revolving membe'rl i and the'axle 38 ,of the driving'wheels that to:'the"meniber 15 thus enabling the device to be used as a control for the throttle against the slipping of the driving wheels.

In this-particularapplicati'on it is to be noted that the member 14 normally runs slightly faster than 15 and in the sam'e'direo' tion. If the driving wheels are slipping ,l5 runs faster than 14 and 'contact points close, and will open again when. slipping: has ceased.

Two sets of contact points; .rings and brushes and a double. point switch inter? locked with .the Iink ;valt'e..motion geariare used sothat .the governor'mayoperate with locomotive running either backward and ion ward. 4

In this case the design of. the devicev is,als o almostiidentical-lwiththat'shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, but to allow for the rcversing action the slipringiis ,dnplicated as indicated at 39 and 40, an. additional contact 41 being carried by the member l5insteadlof merely aistop to engage the arm 23.011 the reverse motion I 1 This arrangement 'entailsa douhleset of electrical Lconneetions .as indicated (at .42 and 43, these: being. the terminalblocks A double contact switch 4:4'interlocked with the link motion gear completes. the salientnfeatures-of the device. I

The operation of the invention can be readily; followed. front-the drawings and fonegoingdescription and-Lmay be briefly statedias follows:

The two revolving cylindrical members 14 and.l5 arezsepar'ately driven at a common Speed, .onebeing at an independentsteady andconstant rate,- the fellow memberbeing subjectto necessary variation, The only connection between the two members is the friction pad extending from the overhanging pivotal-arm.- This. is so adjusted-that on the slightest increase of-speed between theperipheries of the two members 14 and 15 the small 'amount'of friction provided by the pad. retards the. pivotal arm and causes it'to engage the electrical.eontact closing a cir cuit of-eleetricalenergy and withtliissetting in mot-ion any desired i controlling mechanism.

It is obvious that the device has ascope of application which is exceedingly wide, in.- cluding sueh diverse utilities as thecontrol ofi speed of a..marine propeller, the regulationof the throttle of a. skiddingdocomotive. the exactitnde of regulation demanded of the engineof a spinning .iiiill-hiidothfl equally diverse industrial requirements, where a strictly limited range of spced variation is urgently called for.

Having now particularly described my invention,.what I claim as new and desire to be protected in by Letters Patent, is:

1. In anelectric overnor the combination comprising, two cylindrical members of'similar diameters revolving :in the same direction and adjacent each'other on the same axis, one of said members carrying on its periphery a pivotaharm extending overthe. other said member in a direction at right angles to its members revolving on the same axis, one of said members carrying on" its-periphery a pi\"otal. .-arm, th,e sai 'd arm extending, trans;- versely of.'.t-he' two members and over the second said member, I 'a' resiliently supported adjnstable. friction"pad securedto the ex tended 'po rtion .of ,'the' said arm and adapted to engage theexterior surface of'the second said nem be r; an electrically insulated contact on theperi heify o f the first said memher and adapte' t'oengage the said pivotal arm whe'nj'the' la'ttei' is 'pivotally moved by the retardationof one ofthe said mcmbers owing .to thfe frictional .connection between them set'u the saidlpad, the engagement of'the sai arm and"th e.saidcontact being adaptedfto complete'an'elec'tric circuit.

3'. In electric governor the combination comprising, two 'cyliridfieal members of similar diameters revolving-in the same direction, each said memb'er' beingdriven from an. independent source of' power; the two said members rev olving'on the same axis,' one of said lme mhers' carrying .on its perip'hery a'.piv0tal arm, the saidarm'extending tra nsversely of"the" two members and over the second said member, a resiliently supported adjustable friction; a d 'secured to the extended portion of the said arm and adapted to engage the exterior surface ofthe second said'member, an electrically insulated contacton the periphery of the first said memher and adapted "to engage the said pivotal arm when the latter is 'pivotally'morcd by the retardation of one ofthe said members, a slip ring .attached to-the first said member. saidring. being insulated from the said member and in electrical connection with said contact, abrush' insulated 'from said member and from the base plate and framework of said member, said brush making contact with said slipri ng, a terminal conncctcd withsaid brush, a sec nd terminal connected'with said base plate.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature EEWIS BURNETT. 

